US lawmakers vow tighter laws on Chinese-made toys

US lawmakers vowed Wednesday to enact stricter legislation to prevent potentially dangerous Chinese-made toys from being sold in America, as leading toy firms said safety checks were being boosted.

Lawmakers voiced concern during a congressional hearing on recent mass toy recalls by Mattel and other toy companies affecting millions of Chinese-made toys tarnished with lead paint or other safety defects.

"'Made in China' has now become a warning label," Republican Senator Sam Brownback said at a Senate Financial Services and General Government subcommittee hearing.

"Our toy safety system is not as strong as it should be," said Democratic Senator Richard Durbin. Senators said stricter laws were being drafted, as Mattel chairman and chief executive officer Robert Eckert apologized for multiple recalls initiated by the world's biggest toy maker related to toys tainted with lead paint.